Media clowns II

Okay, the lesson here is never try to kid around during the hockey season.

A day after the whole media clowns thing, we decide it would be funny if when coach Tortorella came in to meet with reporters today after practice at the St. Pete Times Forum, we all would wear red clown noses. Low and behold, one of the media relations people for the Lightning said he had a box of red noses from when the circus was in town, and he runs to his office to get them.

So Torts comes into the meeting room, looks at four people with red noses, breathes deeply and says, "Great guys. Can we get going here, please. I have things to do."

Didn't even break a grin.

Later, speaking to him alone about a story, I said, "You know, John, we were just trying to have a little fun in there.''

He said, "With what?''

"The red clown noses, after you mentioned about media clowns.''

Torts said he didn't make the connection when he walked into the room. Besides, he added, "I have another name for you , Damian, and it's not media clown.''

We laughed. He was kidding ... I think.

    

   

Comments

[patti]

Great win tonight!!! Might have been Holmer's best game this season.

[Nils]

Hmmmm.....
I'm not sure that's the overwhelming view of the players, Nan.

[Nan]

Tort's job is to coach the players and the unfortunate part of his job which he obviously does not enjoy too much is dealing with the media. But almost all jobs have something negative about them.

I do wish that Torts would lighten up sometimes, I think that this would help the players more. But who cares if he irritates the media or the fans, supposedly the players like to play for him because he is fair and this is all about the players.

Go Bolts!

[leo]

Off-subject for a sec.
Can I say something about Carolina before we face them? (It's Leo, by the way, for those who want to skip ahead.)
We brought this up a while back and it turned out to be true so let's mention it again: The Caners are afraid of us.
Intimidation is a beautiful aspect of this game and I think we've psyched those suckers out.
They've certainly progressed since we last gave Grahame his due and though they might not be as strong as Ottawa, they sure are playing better. Maybe best of all in awhile, with the Rangers.
So I'm a bit concerned with that but strangely enough, I feel confident.
The Canolis are afraid of us. Like L.A. is of Dallas, like Boston is of Montreal (sorry), like Detroit is of Chicago, like...heck, I ain't ashamed to say it, like WE are of Atlanta.
I won't be surprised if we win this one, though I wouldn't bet my shoes on it.
I also won't be surprised if I'm bashed for the Atlanta comment.
Bring it on.
Peace.

[bear]

Tortsie sure has my respect.

Can't imagine how PO'd he would have have been when Feaster,( or somebody) made the brutal call not to flip something to get Bryzgalov.

He has to stand behind that bench every night, like its Ground Hog day, and watch flopper or Denis self destruct leads.

Earlier comment on Mike Keenan off track. Actually Keenan has a great sense of humour off the ice.

[jr]

Tortorella and Feaster are not going anywhere, but not because they have won a cup (true) or are doing a great job (false). Management is not looking to spend money unnecessarily. Feaster’s contract runs through 2011 while Tortorella’s deal runs through 2008-09. Buyouts would be expensive.

Management really wants to sell this team---to anybody that makes a ballpark offer. Davidson ranked as the 194th richest man in the world with a net worth of $3.5-billion in 2006. He and his minions were willing to accept an offer from a group whose total wealth was about one-tenth of that.

The MacLean group not only couldn't pony up the down payment, they would have been unable to operate the team with annual losses, exaggerated or not. More pathetic, there was not enough collateral among them to obtain a loan.

Even Alabaster Cat, ajax, Another Joe, the shrink, and myself together could have scrounged $5 million.

Ajax is right. There's been an abundance of front office lies this year but Wilson's "the team is not being shopped" is the whopper. His "100 percent first-class operation" statement comes in a close second.

Now for the good news. Although the "potential sale" prevented the Bryzgalov deal for a relatively paltry $900,000, the Toronto Sun is reporting that Feaster has been making calls to other GMs looking for goaltending help. If it was me, I'd sign free agent Curtis Joseph before the bidding starts in January.

[dwight]

Very entertaining.

[ajax]

Feaster and Torts: The resume on paper looks solid. But, are they treading water in the present? Is the hockey club going up or down? At best I think they are keeping their nose above the water line. And lets not forget, thru all of this playoff (success?) they are in red ink. Also, they are the two that are directly responsible for the present roster. I think they are attached at the hip. Actually I think Torts' job is safe. If Jay is the architect and the building is teetering, I think he is the one who should be worried. Torts is just crusty by nature and the yo-yo ride this team has him on probably has him ready to pull his hair out. I think Torts is getting every last gasp (literally) out of these bums. I don't think the Davidson group are a bunch of dummies. I think they have come to the conclusion that this plan of "sign the stars" for life was not the best path for their money. I for one hope they sell soon so changes can be made.
"They are not shopping the club." What an insane statement. They were willing to sell it to the first person with a handful of monopoly money, but now they want to hold on to it. Crazy "news" from one Lightning Palace.

[Mike13]

What an interesting experience it must be --dealing with Tortorella on a daily basis. Seems like he is really worried right now about keeping the team focused on their play and is wound so tightly, that he has an extremely hard time letting go.

But who really cares? His family maybe. But all we, the fans want is for the Bolts to keep winning and get back into competition for the SE division title!

[Another Joe]

Torts and Feaster are not going anywhere. Playoffs 4 seasons in a row, two division titles, one Stanley Cup, and we will be in playoffs again this year. Not to mention good attendance!

If changes need to be made its on the roster not the coaching or management.

Go Bolts!

[Alabaster Cat]

Speculation about Tortorella's future with the Lightning ought to include the following:

1) Jay Feaster is on record as having said that Tortorella will be coach as long as he is General Manager. This has to be evaluated in two contexts: (A) how sincere was Jay and/or can his mind be changed about his position on John, and (B) how secure is Feaster in HIS job (he might not be around to protect his volatile coach).

2) The cost-conscious Bill Davidson and his glib, well-dressed, henchman (Tom Wilson) are likely loath to fire Tortorella if it means buying him out and committing to another contract for a successor. Yet, if that did happen (perhaps, owing to Torts' clearly stated lack of appreciation for Davidson's minion - the formerly failed Hollywood ex-actor/presently Lighting CEO), Mike Sullivan would likely be appointed on a pro tem basis but with no meaningful salary increase for the purpose of saving a few bucks for the Detroit billionaire. Incidentally, Davidson's recalcitrance regarding spending also serves to protect Feaster through the duration of his contract.

In any case, it would be hard to argue that the Davidson, Wilson, Feaster, and Tortorella combination (sounds like a law firm, doesn't it) has been particularly fluid or successful since that magic year when to cup was won. These guys are very clearly NOT on the same page.

[leo]

Post of the day, Caspar!

[boltcc]

After Torts gets out of coaching, I dont see him being on ESPN or something as a color guy, He doesn't lighten up much.

[karma]

Excellent post Olin.
Coaches can't be everything to every player, or fan for that matter. It's not his "job" to be friends with everyone, but he's not a total Mike Keenan-esque jerk-off either.
He's limited to the players which Jay can sign under a self-imposed cap, and he's done a great job with the talent he has (remember folks: there is only one puck on the ice!)
This is the first year in many that the team is suffering from injuries and no one can disagree that the officiating is anything but inconsistent.
Cut Torts some slack, people. We're lucky he's here (both behind the bench and in our community) and he is a winner. Maybe this would be the appropriate time to remind fans about the "Shut Your Yap!" comment, and the brilliance behind smacking down Hitch, while deflecting the attention off of his young team. Think about it for a minute...and then try to name a better coach who you would rather have behind the bench.

[olin]

I personally don't think Tort's has any kind of sense of humor when it comes to his job, of course I'm not down in the locker room, but I believe he's all business, which he should be. I have persoanlly talked to several past lightning player's about the locker room and they all say the same thing. Most were even glad to be gone.
Once last year when referee's were inconsistent,and had Tort's upset, a friend in Sweden sent me a poster of the referee's in the elitsen...they were wearing children's birthday party hat's and blowing those roll out whistle's with feather on the end on the ice in their zebra's, simulationg bad call's over there as well, thought Tort's might enjoy it as I passed it to him, but he handed it right back with not much of a comment. He is no doubt committed, a excellant x's and o's coach, cares about the team and want's to win another cup for all involved- but maybe he just need's to lighten up a bit to gain the team's respect. I like him as the coach, but am glad I don't have to play for him. He does a great job in the community, but he's all business as the coach as he should be.

[Nils]

It's just more evidence of Tortorella feeling the pressure. I don't think he was being shitty, just humorless.

By the way, Spectors hockey blog, probably the most followed in North America, speculates the most likely changes for the Lightning in the next couple of months are trading Boyle and firing Torts. Agree totally with the former; not convinced of the latter.

If Torts if fired, it's rather ironic they would spend money for two coaches when they could have swung a couple of deals to help the team including the very low cost acquisition of Bryzgalov.

[Casper]

Well DC isn't my husband or anything, but I do feel he's an upgrade from Cammy Clark.
Coach has got to be feeling heat; he's trying to play 5 card stud with only 3 cards dealt to him by the Krispy Kreme poster boy.
I think it's important to remember, Tort's end of the funnel is a lot smaller than our end of the funnel.
Damian, you might try to remind Coach of that appreciative fact.